EPA to delay ethanol mandate decision to August

MomingZhou

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) - The Environmental Protection Agency said Tuesday it will delay its decision to August on a Texas petition for a half waiver of the Renewable Fuels Standard, which mandates U.S. fuel makers to blend 9 billion gallons of biofuels this year, mostly corn-based ethanol. The original deadline is Thursday. "Additional time is needed to allow staff to adequately respond to the public comments and develop a decision document that explains the technical, economic and legal rationale of our decision," the EPA said in a news release. The 9 billion mandate is expected to cost the U.S. 4 billion bushels of corn, or 30% of total production. The petition, submitted by Texas Governor Rick Perry, said that corn use for ethanol has helped push up food prices.

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